How old were you when you learned to use a tampon?
(I’ve got a tween daughter and it’s summer…just curious)
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I was thirteen when I first started experimenting with tampons.
I was not successful and did not use them regularly until about a year later.
Wish someone had taught me how to use on properly earlier on.
Tampons are better than pads, but I would highly recommend introducing her to a menstrual cup.
They are easy to use, good for the environment and much easier than tampons or pads.
A lot of ladies on the forum use them and like them.
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She would need this model,
It’s smaller and easier to insert.
Just a recommendation.
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I might introduce her to one of those. I always thought tampons first would be the route to go, but maybe you are right. They don’t seem easier to insert since you have to fold them up and all.
I have a diva cup myself, but prefer cloth pads. (My period is so heavy that I have many overflows and I really hate that.)
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Have you ever tried period panties for your heavy flow?
My sister uses them and loves them,
She’s never had a leak or anything.
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I use June cup. They have a new firmer option that opens easy and a mini.
But tampons, my daughter was 13. We bought the slim type.
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I haven’t, but I’d imagine they are for a backup at best. My daughter is interest in those as well, but I bought her some in size xs before she needed them, not knowing what size she would be. She’s so tiny, they are too big for her!
Maybe it was the brand though (thinx) because she regularly buys xs/size 0 things and they fit (maybe a little big). I’ve been afraid to try one of the tween ones, but probably should.
But, the tampon question was because of swimming though. She tried to buy a white bikini! I’m glad I stopped her. She’s too young to be that confident. She doesn’t know her body well enough for that just yet.
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What did she do for pool/beach before then?
This is my daughter’s “first summer”.
She didn’t use anything, she got her period at 13. She went to pads and hated them, then tampons.
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I think I was like 13 or 14. I did summer swim team so I had to figure them out. The first time i tried I had an impossible time to point of tears and thought I could never do it and asked if I could just skip swim team for a week but my mom told me tough cookies and to try again. The next time I attempted for some reason it wasn’t difficult at all and it worked out easily. 
It helped me to NOT use those old fashioned cardboard rectangle shaped tampons my mom used. Instead the sports tampons with the sleek plastic applicators were much easier for me. Just something to keep in mind when picking types for your daughter.
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I use flex discs now. They’re similar to a diva cup but disposable (I had a reusable one but it didn’t work as well imo) and are flat instead of a cup so it’s possible to do sex stuff with one in. I love them and am never going back to tampons. It helps me feel sexy and be active even if I’m on my period and I never have to worry about an ugly string.
That said a tween probably doesn’t have to (shouldn’t have to!) be worried about any of that 
And honestly idk if i would have recommended them to my younger self, they are not as intuitive to place and remove as a tampon. Easy for me now that I am used to them but i dunno if 12 year old me could’ve figured them out. And I feel like diva cups/discs are kind of big/wide for a tween I dunno.
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what is a tween?
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Like a pre-teen. Not a full teenager. Middle school age range.
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ah yea thanks @Anna =)
i use a pad… always used that.
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I was 12 when I was introduced to tampons. Hated them, still do. I have yet to learn how to use those with the plastic applicator tubes.
I can’t use anything that needs to be inserted into my hoohoo. I’ve learnt to tolerate the smallest brand of tampons I was able to find, but they only keep me dry for a few hours.
During heavy periods I usually sleep with a maxi pad and as big a tampon as I can stomach.
I’d love to have period panties at some point.
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I’ve knew a lot of young girls when I was around 13 whose parents refused to let them use tampons because they were virgins, and the tampon would break their hymen. Their parents forced them to use pads.
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I was in a church like that. It’s ridiculous.
I couldn’t handle tampons until after I had my daughter. Childbirth made it easier on me. I no longer have a uterus, but when I did, I needed the super plus absorbing tampons together with overnight maxi pads with wings. I had an insanely heavy flow. I had to change both my tampon and my maxi pads every 2 hours
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I was that person. My mom wouldn’t let me use them because of that. Which is ridiculous and misogynistic imo. I was 16 when I first used one and I got my menarche at 12
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I’ve never used them. I’m 16
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I don’t have a uterus, but I think I was about 14?
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